April 5, 2007

Virginia’s buzzing about bee disorder prevention

RICHMOND—A silent beehive sounds like an oxymoron, but it’s becoming a familiar occurrence in Virginia.

The lack of buzz is the cruel calling card of Colony Collapse Disorder, a mysterious phenomenon that results in the disappearance of bees from a hive full of honey.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services completed a study of the plight of Virginia beekeepers in 2006 and found that the number of hives maintained in Virginia had decreased by more than 50 percent since the mid-1980s. The department also found that the wild bee population crashed in 1996, and that those bees have just begun to reappear.

Their presence—or absence—can have a significant effect on Virginia farms.

“Bees are important not only for their honey production but also because they are vital to the pollination of many fruits, vegetables and other crops,” said Tony Banks, a commodities expert with the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. “Bee pollination is essential for crop production in many open-pollinated crops, such as tomatoes.”

As VDACS looks into the causes of CCD, the department is working with beekeepers to advise their peers on prevention.

“We are encouraging beekeepers to become more active in caring for their hives to combat the possibility of CCD,” said Keith Tignor, state apiarist. “[Among other strategies] they should supplement the honey supply and replace the queen more often to be sure the hive is vigorous and productive.”

According to VDACS, the number of bees has significantly declined since 1990 due to varroa mite infestations. Unlike CCD, which leaves no trace of bees, mite infestation kills bees in their hives. It’s possible that stressors such as climate conditions or limited sources of nectar are to blame for CCD, but bacteria and more substantial mite infestations haven’t been ruled out, Tignor said.

According to VDACS, 40 percent of the state’s hives were lost last year after facing drought conditions. Virginia has lost about 30 percent of hives in preceding years when mites were the major mortality concern.

Contact Banks at 804-290-1114 or Tignor at 804-786-3515.